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Mini Split Repair and Cleaning

Mini split repair and deep cleaning.

Plenty of companies will install a ductless system and then have no interest in coming back to fix it. We repair, maintain, and deep-clean mini splits from every major brand, and we diagnose the whole system before we touch anything, so you know what failed and what it’ll take to fix before any work starts.

Call 757-241-0723Request service
  • Serving Hampton Roads since 2003
  • 20+ years experience
  • Master HVAC licensed
  • Master Gas licensed
  • Class A contractor
  • Financing available

Installer won’t come back?

An error code doesn’t mean a new system.

Most of our mini split calls sound alike: the company that installed the system won’t come back, or another company read the error code, said the board was gone, and quoted a new head or a whole new system. Sometimes that’s the right call. Often it isn’t. A loose flare connection, a failed sensor, a clogged condensate line, or a communication wire between the head and the outdoor unit can all throw an error and shut a mini split down, and none of them require new equipment.

We’ll diagnose it independently and tell you what we find. If the other company was right, we’ll say so and explain why. If they weren’t, you just saved the cost of equipment you didn’t need.

Request a second opinion

What’s your mini split doing?

Here are some common problems, what might be causing them, and when it’s time for a repair.

  1. Running, but not cooling or heating

    Air is moving, but it isn’t cold or warm. Most often a refrigerant leak at a flare connection, a dirty coil, or a failed component in the outdoor unit.

  2. Water dripping from the indoor head

    Almost always the condensate system: a clogged drain line, a head that’s no longer level, or a failed condensate pump. In a humid coastal climate, mini split drains clog constantly.

  3. Blinking lights or an error code

    The system has detected a fault and shut itself down. The code tells you where to start looking, not what to replace. Sensors, wiring, and refrigerant problems all throw codes.

  4. A musty smell, or black specks blowing out

    The blower wheel and coil inside the head are growing mold. Cleaning the filters won’t reach it. This needs a deep cleaning.

  5. Iced up, noisy, or won’t turn on

    Ice on the head or the lines points to airflow or refrigerant. Rattling or grinding is usually a fan. Nothing at all is usually electrical or communication between the head and the outdoor unit.

Repair Path

Repair it or replace it?

Most mini split problems don’t mean you need a new system. Leaks at the line connections, faulty sensors, drain problems, fan motors, and dirty coils can usually be fixed with straightforward repairs.

For older systems, a failed compressor, discontinued parts, or several indoor heads failing at once can change the equation. We’ll explain what we find, compare costs, and help you decide what makes the most sense.

  • Ductman HVAC technician inspecting HVAC equipment in a crawlspace

    When to repair

    Mini Split Repair

    Repair is often the better option when your system is relatively new, has been reliable, and the problem can be fixed at a reasonable cost.

    Request service
  • Ductman HVAC truck parked at a client building

    When to replace

    Mini Split Replacement

    Replacement may make more sense if your system is aging, needs frequent repairs, or parts are no longer available. A new system can also offer better efficiency and quieter operation.

    Mini Split Installation

What we repair

The repairs we make every day.

We repair and service every major ductless brand, whether we installed it or not. The goal on every call is to find what failed and fix it properly.

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  • Refrigerant leaks at flare connections

    The most common mini split leak, and often a sign of an installation that wasn’t torqued or flared properly. Located, repaired, and verified before the system is recharged.

  • Condensate lines and pumps

    Cleared, re-pitched, or replaced so water leaves the wall instead of running down it.

  • Sensors, boards, and error codes

    Diagnosed to the actual fault rather than replacing whatever part the code names first.

  • Fan motors and blower wheels

    Indoor and outdoor fans repaired or replaced, including blower wheels too caked to balance.

  • Communication and power wiring

    The connection between the indoor head and the outdoor unit. When it fails, the system can’t talk to itself and shuts down.

  • Deep cleaning

    Coil and blower wheel cleaned inside the head, drain flushed, and the outdoor coil cleared. See below for what that actually involves.

Our Brands

Brands we repair and service

  • Tempstar
  • Arcoaire
  • LG
  • York
  • Weather King
  • Amana
  • Westinghouse
  • White-Rodgers
  • Toshiba
  • Coleman
  • Rinnai
  • The Unico System
  • Goodman
  • Whirlpool
  • Robertshaw
  • SpacePak
  • Fujitsu
  • Ruud
  • Carrier
  • Lennox
  • Rehau
  • Samsung
  • WaterFurnace
  • Honeywell
  • Bryant
  • Lochinvar
  • Panasonic
  • Day & Night
  • Weil-McLain
  • Mitsubishi Electric
  • Trane
  • Armstrong Air
  • Heil
  • Reznor
  • ClimateMaster
  • Trion
  • Sanyo
  • Bosch
  • Luxaire
  • Tappan
  • Comfortmaker
  • Payne
  • American Standard
  • Bard
  • First Co.
  • Modine
  • Frigidaire
  • Rheem
  • Gibson
  • Broan
  • NuTone
  • Comfort-Aire
  • Burnham
  • Nordyne
  • Maytag
  • Aprilaire
  • Ducane

How we diagnose

An error code is a starting point, not a diagnosis.

Most companies read the error code, replace the part the code points to, and leave. But an error code tells you what the system noticed, not what caused it. A sensor fault can be a bad sensor, a loose wire, or a coil that’s running too cold because of a refrigerant leak. Replace the sensor and the code comes back.

We check the whole system before we fix anything: refrigerant pressures, flare connections, electrical and communication wiring, sensors, airflow at every head, and the condensate system. Then we tell you what failed and why it failed.

On a multi-zone system, that means checking every zone, not just the one that complained.

Ductwork Repair
Ductman HVAC technician kneeling outside a crawlspace access

Our Process

What happens when you call.

No surprise charges, and no work starts until you’ve said yes.

Before we get there

  1. We ask what it’s doing

    What you’re seeing, hearing, and smelling, and any error code or blinking-light pattern. A photo of the display helps.

  2. We get the history

    The system’s age, brand, number of zones, past repairs, and whether anyone else has already looked at it. If you’ve been quoted a replacement, tell us.

The diagnostic visit

  1. We find what actually failed

    A full system check across every zone: refrigerant, flare connections, wiring, sensors, airflow, and drainage.

  2. We explain before we fix

    What failed, why it failed, what the repair involves, and what it costs. You decide before any work starts.

Before we pull out

  1. We fix it and verify

    Repair made, then every zone run and checked in heating and cooling, so you know the whole system is working rather than just the head that complained.

  2. We tell you what else we saw

    If a head needs cleaning or something else is wearing out, you’ll hear about it plainly, with no pressure to fix it today.

Mini Split Cleaning, plainly

Why your mini split smells, and why the filters aren’t the fix.

Inside every wall-mounted head is a coil and a blower wheel (a long, finned cylinder that spins to push air into the room). Both stay damp whenever the system is cooling, and in a coastal climate that’s most of the year. Dust that gets past the filters sticks to them, and mold grows on what sticks. That’s the musty smell when the system starts, and the black specks that sometimes blow out of the vent.

Washing the filters helps, and you should keep doing it. But the filters sit in front of the coil, and the blower wheel sits behind it. Neither can be reached by wiping or spraying from the front of the unit. Most “cleanings” stop there.

A deep cleaning means bagging the head, washing the coil and blower wheel with the right cleaner and low-pressure water, flushing the drain, and clearing the outdoor coil. It restores airflow, removes what’s been growing in there, and usually brings back cooling capacity people assumed was a repair problem.

Testimonials

Hear from our customers.

  • Mike was very professional and thorough throughout the entire process. Haven’t felt with any HVAC service before Ductman and will never choose anything else now. Thank you for a great experience.

    Robert Clark Google review

  • Everyone was respectful, a pleasure to work with, and they got the job done in a timely fashion with a great quality of work. My house heats even better now than before. 10/10 I absolutely recommend them.

    James Maurmeier Google review

  • Furnace went out on what seems like the coldest day so far this year. Chris answered our call and promptly sent out a technician to review the issue and provide an estimate. They were able to order and install the part quickly for a reasonable price. I would definitely call them again if we had another HVAC issue.

    Charisse Google review

Our Work

Recent work

View our work

Most of the repairs we make were preventable.

Clogged drains, dirty coils, and caked blower wheels usually give warning before they shut a mini split down. A maintenance visit catches them while they’re small. Financing is also available on larger repairs.

Schedule a tune-up

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much does mini split repair cost?

It depends entirely on what failed. A clogged drain or a sensor is a small repair. A refrigerant leak depends on where it is. A compressor is the expensive one. We’ll tell you exactly what it costs before any work starts.

Why is water leaking from my mini split?

It’s almost always the condensate system: a clogged drain line, a head that’s no longer level, or a failed condensate pump. In a humid coastal climate, mini split drains clog constantly.

What does my mini split’s error code mean?

It means the system detected a fault and shut itself down. The code tells you where to start looking, not what to replace: a sensor fault can be a bad sensor, a loose wire, or a coil running too cold because of a refrigerant leak. A photo of the display helps when you call.

Why does my mini split smell musty?

The coil and blower wheel inside the head stay damp whenever the system is cooling, dust that gets past the filters sticks to them, and mold grows on what sticks. Washing the filters can’t reach either one. It needs a deep cleaning.

The company that installed my system won’t come back. Can you help?

Yes. We repair, maintain, and deep-clean mini splits from every major brand, whether we installed the system or not.

Is it worth repairing an older mini split?

Most mini splits we’re called out to fix should be fixed. A failed compressor on an older outdoor unit, a discontinued model with no parts available, or a multi-zone system with several heads failing at once can tip the numbers the other way. When that’s the case, we’ll show you both numbers side by side.

Do you repair multi-zone systems?

Yes. On a multi-zone system we check every zone, not just the one that complained, and after the repair every zone is run and checked in heating and cooling.

Get Started

Let’s find out what’s wrong with it.

Call us or send a request. We’ll find what actually failed, explain your options in plain English, and get your house cool again.